Lancs OT future secure

LANCASHIRE County Cricket Club's future at Old Trafford looks set to be secured after bosses signed an agreement with developers and Council chiefs that will pave the way for the ground's multi-million pound redevelopment.

LANCASHIRE County Cricket Club's future at Old Trafford looks set to be secured after bosses signed an agreement with developers and Council chiefs that will pave the way for the ground's multi-million pound redevelopment.

A new 25,000-seater stadium is set to be built at the historic site - with new stands, conference and banquet facilities, a hotel and sports facilities for the community.

The scheme, which will create 2,000 jobs, is also expected to include homes, shops and business premises. It could be worth é190m once completed. The club, which is celebrating its 150th anniversary year, has signed a collaboration agreement with Trafford Borough Council, Ask Developments and Tesco.

Bosses had been considering selling the ground because of fears it was not up to modern standards, and would not be able to host future test matches.

A huge site near Wigan was earmarked, as well as an area at Sportscity in east Manchester. Other ideas had included making use of land at the nearby Trafford Town Hall.

Lancashire CC chief executive Jim Cumbes said the stadium would be recognised as "world-class standard" and would be "fit for the UK's greatest sporting city region and serving the cricketing hotbed in the north west." He added: "The Old Trafford brand has a massive standing in world cricket. The club has been on the same site since 1857.

"I am delighted that a partnership of this calibre can now work up the solution to fund this major international initiative.

The cricket ground will form the lynchpin of an anticipated 750,000 sq ft development.

Historic

A new 25,000-seat stadium will be created at the historic site, with new stands, conference and banquet facilities, a hotel and education, sports and training facilities for the local community.

But the prime driver is said to be the creation of a new Test venue as the scheme's centrepiece.

The partnership will review other development options over the next six to 12 months and will identify the preferred scheme early next year.

Discussions with the North West Development Agency and Sport England, both of which support the initiative, are on-going.

Susan Williams, the leader of Trafford Council, said: "We welcome the signing of this collaboration agreement as a major step forward in securing the future of world-class cricket in the borough and look forward to working with our partners over the coming months to bring the scheme to fruition."

Tony Fletcher, from Tesco, said: "Tesco is very pleased to have this opportunity, in conjunction with our partners, to use our combined expertise to identify the best options for this exciting development, from both a regional and a sporting perspective."

Councillors in Trafford, meanwhile, are still looking at a possible move from the nearby town hall.

At a meeting earlier this month, they called for a business case to be drawn up on two options moving to a new site or refurbishing the building.

They insist the historical and architectural integrity of the town hall will be preserved, whatever decision is finally taken.

Trafford Council's deputy leader Matt Colledge, who chairs an all-party steering group looking at the options, said: "This is a major decision, one of the most important facing the council, so we have to get it right."